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I wasn't super thrilled either but the checkers are black.
, not that serious. Since they have a meaning behind them, I rock with it though.
2016 Houston Rockets Pre-Season Thread - Preseason Finale vs Spurs
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by Peep Game,
- Start date
I wasn't super thrilled either but the checkers are black.
, not that serious. Since they have a meaning behind them, I rock with it though.
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Ooooooh that's what the checkers are for I've been wondering for awhile, thought it was random. Gkad it's something that actually makes sense
I've been wondering for awhile, thought it was random. Gkad it's something that actually makes sense
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Healthy Nene gives Rockets more options
When players cited teammates who stood out during voluntary workouts earlier this month, they typically listed two or three Rockets, changing the list depending on the day asked but always including Nene.
When Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni was asked about standouts in his first six practices at camp, he mentioned several names from the certain starters to a few vying for places in the rotation. But he always had Nene on the list.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander included Nene among the key additions, though Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon were signed to free-agent contracts worth $133 million, and Nene was brought in with a salary-cap exception worth less than $3 million.
'Top five center'
James Harden, Pat Beverley and Anderson all cited Nene's play.
A pattern seemed to be emerging.
"He is looking good and he's playing well," D'Antoni said. "He feels good. He's in shape. He's at a good weight. Nene's one of the better players in the league, one of the best centers in the league, when he's healthy, and he's healthy."
Nene exhibited a broad smile when asked about the praise, but he offered little else.
"I just try to work every day," Nene said. "Whatever they want to say, I let them say. My job is work.
"I'm going to try using my talent to help my team, help my teammates to make them better, work to make myself better and help this team win."
He has seemed to have played his way into a significant role, especially with restricted free-agent forward/center Donatas Motiejunas still unsigned.
The Rockets hope to use Nene as a playmaker on the perimeter, allowing cutters to move without the ball with the post open.
"We play a certain way, and it kind of fits his style for us," D'Antoni said. "He's going to be a playmaker for us from the top of the key. He can do a lot of things."
That ability could make Nene a better fit with the Rockets' second unit, especially when Harden is out of the game and the Rockets need playmaking from another source.
Voice of experience
D'Antoni doesn't yet know whether Nene will starter or the Rockets will stick to the plan to turn the position over to third-year center Clint Capela.
The decision likely will come down to how each fits with the players around them. But that there might be any uncertainty about a starter could indicate how impressive Nene has been since he became a late-July addition well after most of the NBA's free-agent smoke had cleared.
"I don't see it as a battle," D'Antoni said. "We need to make sure we take care of Clint and do what's best for him, whether that's start him or not start him. We need them both to be great. They're both going to have a big role. They're both going to contribute nightly to the team.
"Some of it's (about) matchups. Some of it is who you fit best (with) on the floor. If you're a starter … do you fit best with Ryan Anderson? Not whether you are better or not? If you're D-Mo, if we ever get him in, does he fit best with Clint or Nene?
"I think both will accept whatever it is."
Nene also brings experience lacking in most of the Rockets other big men, especially with Motiejunas still not in camp. Montrezl Harrell is heading into his second year after playing 39 games last season. Capela heads into his third season a veteran of 89 games.
'I still do my damage'
Nene, 34, was not brought in to mentor, but those specks of gray dotting his beard are not the only indications Nene has played more NBA games over 14 seasons than any Rocket.
"He's very helpful, just to learn the game from somebody who has been here for so long," said rookie Chinanu Onuaku, the Rockets' youngest player at 19. "He's teaching me things on both ends so it will be easier for me. Like on the defensive end, he's teaching me little (veteran) things to do to be a better defender."
As little as Nene will say about his own play, he did warn that he is not to be confused for a teacher yet.
"Don't look (at) my age," he said last week. "I still do my damage."
Few around Rockets practices would argue, as they have been quick to point out.
When players cited teammates who stood out during voluntary workouts earlier this month, they typically listed two or three Rockets, changing the list depending on the day asked but always including Nene.
When Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni was asked about standouts in his first six practices at camp, he mentioned several names from the certain starters to a few vying for places in the rotation. But he always had Nene on the list.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander included Nene among the key additions, though Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon were signed to free-agent contracts worth $133 million, and Nene was brought in with a salary-cap exception worth less than $3 million.
'Top five center'
James Harden, Pat Beverley and Anderson all cited Nene's play.
A pattern seemed to be emerging.
"He is looking good and he's playing well," D'Antoni said. "He feels good. He's in shape. He's at a good weight. Nene's one of the better players in the league, one of the best centers in the league, when he's healthy, and he's healthy."
Nene exhibited a broad smile when asked about the praise, but he offered little else.
"I just try to work every day," Nene said. "Whatever they want to say, I let them say. My job is work.
"I'm going to try using my talent to help my team, help my teammates to make them better, work to make myself better and help this team win."
He has seemed to have played his way into a significant role, especially with restricted free-agent forward/center Donatas Motiejunas still unsigned.
The Rockets hope to use Nene as a playmaker on the perimeter, allowing cutters to move without the ball with the post open.
"We play a certain way, and it kind of fits his style for us," D'Antoni said. "He's going to be a playmaker for us from the top of the key. He can do a lot of things."
That ability could make Nene a better fit with the Rockets' second unit, especially when Harden is out of the game and the Rockets need playmaking from another source.
Voice of experience
D'Antoni doesn't yet know whether Nene will starter or the Rockets will stick to the plan to turn the position over to third-year center Clint Capela.
The decision likely will come down to how each fits with the players around them. But that there might be any uncertainty about a starter could indicate how impressive Nene has been since he became a late-July addition well after most of the NBA's free-agent smoke had cleared.
"I don't see it as a battle," D'Antoni said. "We need to make sure we take care of Clint and do what's best for him, whether that's start him or not start him. We need them both to be great. They're both going to have a big role. They're both going to contribute nightly to the team.
"Some of it's (about) matchups. Some of it is who you fit best (with) on the floor. If you're a starter … do you fit best with Ryan Anderson? Not whether you are better or not? If you're D-Mo, if we ever get him in, does he fit best with Clint or Nene?
"I think both will accept whatever it is."
Nene also brings experience lacking in most of the Rockets other big men, especially with Motiejunas still not in camp. Montrezl Harrell is heading into his second year after playing 39 games last season. Capela heads into his third season a veteran of 89 games.
'I still do my damage'
Nene, 34, was not brought in to mentor, but those specks of gray dotting his beard are not the only indications Nene has played more NBA games over 14 seasons than any Rocket.
"He's very helpful, just to learn the game from somebody who has been here for so long," said rookie Chinanu Onuaku, the Rockets' youngest player at 19. "He's teaching me things on both ends so it will be easier for me. Like on the defensive end, he's teaching me little (veteran) things to do to be a better defender."
As little as Nene will say about his own play, he did warn that he is not to be confused for a teacher yet.
"Don't look (at) my age," he said last week. "I still do my damage."
Few around Rockets practices would argue, as they have been quick to point out.
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Great inspiration but stupid cause no one knows what it is, and it looks horrible
- 8,871
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These jerseys are TERRIBLE. Even those new black ones . I can't wait till they revamp it completely
. I can't wait till they revamp it completely
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They can flip flop between these and the Chinese New Year ones for all I care as long as they avoid the regular red/white ones. i loathe those so much, especially since they barely fixed the shoulder cut
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Look like NBDL uni's, not terrible though, better than any of those awful sleeved jerseys. I'm so happy we stole NENE he'll probably match Dwight's production. I can't lie I wanted the Rockets to trade down and draft him instead of Yao... hindsight we made the right choice, but I've always liked his game.
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At worse the season will be exciting especially with Harden running the point and the new acquisitions.
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Harden has basically been running the point since he's been here, now he just has the title of point guard
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sheesh. im sitting here thinking how the hell we complaining about an all black jersey compared to our red/white/silvers with the WNBA cut. and I really think its pretty hard to dislike an all black uniform. like what would you not like? not dark enough? the font THAT bad?
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I'd love to switch back to an updated version of this concept and color scheme
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Harden has basically been running the point since he's been here, now he just has the title of point guard
Yeah your right it just feels good to officially know now with a proven SG in Eric Gordon
View media item 2181224
I'd love to switch back to an updated version of this concept and color scheme
This. I remember people hated them back then but now
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sheesh. im sitting here thinking how the hell we complaining about an all black jersey compared to our red/white/silvers with the WNBA cut. and I really think its pretty hard to dislike an all black uniform. like what would you not like? not dark enough? the font THAT bad?
Yep, plus (as you pointed out before) the checkered design is dark. Looks like black and dark grey honestly
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got damnit, JH
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Harden has basically been running the point since he's been here, now he just has the title of point guard
Point in mchale's system
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Rockets report: P.J. Hairston's signing brings camp total to 19
The Rockets on Thursday signed P.J. Hairston to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, a person with knowledge of the move said. Yahoo Sports initially reported a deal with Hairston.
Hairston, a 6-6, 220-pound guard/small forward, averaged six points and 2.4 rebounds in three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies.
Hairston was dismissed from North Carolina as a sophomore and finished the 2013-14 season in the NBA D-League. The Hornets made him the 26th pick of the 2014 NBA draft, but they did not pick up their option on his contract before last season and dealt him to Memphis as part of a three-team trade with the Miami Heat.
After a day off, D'Antoni hopeful
After eight training camp practices and Thursday's day off, the first of camp, workouts will move upstairs at Toyota Center.
The two-a-day sessions are complete, but Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni expects little else to change, other than fresher legs following the day off, in the two practice days before the first preseason game Sunday against the Shanghai Sharks.
"More of the same, but obviously, hopefully, we're further along, more advanced," D'Antoni said. "We'll probably see more energy in the legs of the players because of one day off. We'll snap back and have more energy in practice. These are a little bit dog days in practice, but they've done terrific.
Gordon sees progress ongoing
With the Rockets moving to the preseason schedule, beginning Sunday against the Shanghai Sharks, the hope is that playing against opponents rather than one another will help to get acclimated to the changes in their system and rotation.
Guard Eric Gordon said that has gone well so far but that progress will have to continue through the preseason and well into the regular season.
"I think we feel good," Gordon said. "Everybody is still new. Coach is new. A lot of players are new. We're still getting familiar. I think by the time the real season comes, I think we'll be ready for it. For us, it's all about us having a good start, but really getting better as we go along, by December for sure."
The Rockets on Thursday signed P.J. Hairston to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, a person with knowledge of the move said. Yahoo Sports initially reported a deal with Hairston.
Hairston, a 6-6, 220-pound guard/small forward, averaged six points and 2.4 rebounds in three seasons with the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies.
Hairston was dismissed from North Carolina as a sophomore and finished the 2013-14 season in the NBA D-League. The Hornets made him the 26th pick of the 2014 NBA draft, but they did not pick up their option on his contract before last season and dealt him to Memphis as part of a three-team trade with the Miami Heat.
After a day off, D'Antoni hopeful
After eight training camp practices and Thursday's day off, the first of camp, workouts will move upstairs at Toyota Center.
The two-a-day sessions are complete, but Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni expects little else to change, other than fresher legs following the day off, in the two practice days before the first preseason game Sunday against the Shanghai Sharks.
"More of the same, but obviously, hopefully, we're further along, more advanced," D'Antoni said. "We'll probably see more energy in the legs of the players because of one day off. We'll snap back and have more energy in practice. These are a little bit dog days in practice, but they've done terrific.
Gordon sees progress ongoing
With the Rockets moving to the preseason schedule, beginning Sunday against the Shanghai Sharks, the hope is that playing against opponents rather than one another will help to get acclimated to the changes in their system and rotation.
Guard Eric Gordon said that has gone well so far but that progress will have to continue through the preseason and well into the regular season.
"I think we feel good," Gordon said. "Everybody is still new. Coach is new. A lot of players are new. We're still getting familiar. I think by the time the real season comes, I think we'll be ready for it. For us, it's all about us having a good start, but really getting better as we go along, by December for sure."
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Why James Harden's sky-high minutes, touches could expand even further
HOUSTON -- James Harden calls the basketball court his happy place. And checking on the number of minutes that he has played, that would be true.
Over the past two seasons, no NBA player has played more minutes than Harden, the Houston Rockets’ star guard. He has played 6,106 minutes, with his teammate, Trevor Ariza, second with 5,789.
Harden (37.5) is just behind Chicago’s Jimmy Butler (37.
in minutes per game the past two seasons. Given his expanded role as the full-time point guard, Harden’s minutes shouldn’t decrease anytime soon.
“We’ll see and take it game by game,” Harden said. “Some games I’ll play more [minutes] than others. I love being on that basketball court -- this is my happy place. If I have to play 40 a night or down to 30-35 [minutes], it depends on the game. It’s whatever is good for the team.”
Harden is good for the Rockets. New coach Mike D’Antoni will let the shooting guard become the full-time point guard this season, meaning he will be the ball handler the majority of the game. It’s hard to believe he can touch the ball more than he did last season. Harden led the team with a touch rate of 85.1 percent, which also led shooting guards in the NBA.
John Wall led the league in touch rate at 98.7.
So in theory, if Harden is touching the ball more, which should be the case this season, his minutes most likely will continue to be in the upper 30s per night.
“I bet there’s not one coach that comes here and says, ‘Yeah, I want to keep his minutes down,’" D’Antoni said. “Then you want to win, and then it’s a little bit of a tussle. He’s going to play his minutes. I would love to keep it down and under control, and I’ll work with James and how he feels, and I think we both have goals of limiting it a little bit more. But he’s going to play a lot of minutes again. Hopefully we can win some games, and it’s the best time where you can rest guys -- Steph Curry rests in the fourth quarter [of some games]. That would be nice.”
To sit Harden in the fourth quarter of games, the Rockets need to maintain a huge lead, something that wasn’t the case in quite a few games last season.
With a new up-tempo offense, featuring more shooters, Harden has the ability to help the Rockets get big leads. If the new shooters, such as Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, are able to take the scoring load off Harden, the amount of energy needed to run the offense might not be a burden.
Of course, Harden will have another ball handler on the floor in Patrick Beverley, who should alleviate some pressure off him if defenses double him at half court, something that occurred numerous times last season.
“Playmaker is the point guard, point guard makes the plays, and that’s the scoring,” Harden said. “We have a lot more shooters on the team now, and there’s a lot more spacing involved that creates a lot more layups and shots for our team, and that’s what we’re trying to do and get to.”
Two seasons ago when the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals before losing to Golden State, Harden averaged 38.6 minutes per game in the postseason. When the season was over, Harden discussed how the heavy minutes wore him down, especially when he brought the ball up the court. The Rockets vowed to limit his ballhandling duties at the shooting guard spot, by adding Ty Lawson as another ball handler/creator.
It didn’t work as the Rockets started the season 0-3, eventually leading to coach Kevin McHale's dismissal and Harden carrying a heavy workload again. When the season ended, Harden led the league in total minutes at 3,125 and minutes per game, with 38.1.
The Rockets are now embracing Harden’s heavy minutes, because in order to succeed in the talent-heavy West, they need him in his happy place.
“You can do what San Antonio does [in giving veteran players rest days], but he is 27, in the prime of his career,” D’Antoni said. “He’s strong, and he can handle a lot of minutes. You never know. You try to hit it right in the middle, and we’ll try and do that.”
HOUSTON -- James Harden calls the basketball court his happy place. And checking on the number of minutes that he has played, that would be true.
Over the past two seasons, no NBA player has played more minutes than Harden, the Houston Rockets’ star guard. He has played 6,106 minutes, with his teammate, Trevor Ariza, second with 5,789.
Harden (37.5) is just behind Chicago’s Jimmy Butler (37.
in minutes per game the past two seasons. Given his expanded role as the full-time point guard, Harden’s minutes shouldn’t decrease anytime soon.“We’ll see and take it game by game,” Harden said. “Some games I’ll play more [minutes] than others. I love being on that basketball court -- this is my happy place. If I have to play 40 a night or down to 30-35 [minutes], it depends on the game. It’s whatever is good for the team.”
Harden is good for the Rockets. New coach Mike D’Antoni will let the shooting guard become the full-time point guard this season, meaning he will be the ball handler the majority of the game. It’s hard to believe he can touch the ball more than he did last season. Harden led the team with a touch rate of 85.1 percent, which also led shooting guards in the NBA.
John Wall led the league in touch rate at 98.7.
So in theory, if Harden is touching the ball more, which should be the case this season, his minutes most likely will continue to be in the upper 30s per night.
“I bet there’s not one coach that comes here and says, ‘Yeah, I want to keep his minutes down,’" D’Antoni said. “Then you want to win, and then it’s a little bit of a tussle. He’s going to play his minutes. I would love to keep it down and under control, and I’ll work with James and how he feels, and I think we both have goals of limiting it a little bit more. But he’s going to play a lot of minutes again. Hopefully we can win some games, and it’s the best time where you can rest guys -- Steph Curry rests in the fourth quarter [of some games]. That would be nice.”
To sit Harden in the fourth quarter of games, the Rockets need to maintain a huge lead, something that wasn’t the case in quite a few games last season.
With a new up-tempo offense, featuring more shooters, Harden has the ability to help the Rockets get big leads. If the new shooters, such as Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, are able to take the scoring load off Harden, the amount of energy needed to run the offense might not be a burden.
Of course, Harden will have another ball handler on the floor in Patrick Beverley, who should alleviate some pressure off him if defenses double him at half court, something that occurred numerous times last season.
“Playmaker is the point guard, point guard makes the plays, and that’s the scoring,” Harden said. “We have a lot more shooters on the team now, and there’s a lot more spacing involved that creates a lot more layups and shots for our team, and that’s what we’re trying to do and get to.”
Two seasons ago when the Rockets reached the Western Conference finals before losing to Golden State, Harden averaged 38.6 minutes per game in the postseason. When the season was over, Harden discussed how the heavy minutes wore him down, especially when he brought the ball up the court. The Rockets vowed to limit his ballhandling duties at the shooting guard spot, by adding Ty Lawson as another ball handler/creator.
It didn’t work as the Rockets started the season 0-3, eventually leading to coach Kevin McHale's dismissal and Harden carrying a heavy workload again. When the season ended, Harden led the league in total minutes at 3,125 and minutes per game, with 38.1.
The Rockets are now embracing Harden’s heavy minutes, because in order to succeed in the talent-heavy West, they need him in his happy place.
“You can do what San Antonio does [in giving veteran players rest days], but he is 27, in the prime of his career,” D’Antoni said. “He’s strong, and he can handle a lot of minutes. You never know. You try to hit it right in the middle, and we’ll try and do that.”
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Looking forward to seeing the new look Rockets tonight
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Starters for the @HoustonRockets tonight:
Trevor Ariza
Ryan Anderson
Clint Capela
James Harden
Patrick Beverley
Trevor Ariza
Ryan Anderson
Clint Capela
James Harden
Patrick Beverley
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my favorite part of the game was finding out that Jimmer plays for the Sharks
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my favorite part of the game was finding out that Jimmer plays for the Sharks
Same
Hope Nene is able to rest throughout the season. It was refreshing to see a center just go up for the shots and make them without having to suffer from missing the dunk or bricking FTs.